Tag: Novels

It’s just the power to charm.

Sara Mazariegos

First of all, hello to all of my new followers! I didn’t expect my last post to get so much kind attention. I’m happy to have you with me. 😊

I recently bought a copy of Natalie Sue’s I Hope This Finds You Well, and I’ve been enjoying it so much that I almost don’t want to read too much of it at once. Because then it will be over. Does that happen to you when you read? I want to prolong it.

My local library also gave me two books, so I’m suddenly swimming in a wonderful mini pile of new-to-me novels. One is The White Rose, a poetic young adult novel about Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans. I’m reading it as research for my latest story idea. When I used to work at the US Holocaust Museum, I remember often stopping by the wall that told their story. It gave me pause that such young people dared to take a stand, even though it certainly meant death.

The other novel I got from the library is The Dead Romantics. It’s a romance novel (not surprising, right?) involving a ghost, so it appeals to a few of my interests.

When not reading other people’s novels, I’ve been reading my own as I begin revising. My new benchmark will be to submit it to The Shit No One Tells You About Writing again. I feel much more confident now that I’ve revised and rewritten it about three times. 😅 It’s very different from the story it used to be.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just read and write all day?

Googling “derealization,” hating what you find.

Sara Mazariegos

I sure picked a great time to stop writing. My #1 distraction from all the craziness, and I’m not using it right now.

I’ve started reading through my latest draft, though. That’s been interesting. I’m not allowing myself to make any changes yet, just reading through it and making little notes about the changes I intend to make.

Not sure if it’s the relentless heat or the constant barrage of bad news, but I haven’t been having the best summer, mentally. In that regard, perhaps it’s better that I’m not trying to write now. I just wish I could take more of a break than a weekend getaway. (The weekend getaway to National Harbor last weekend was really nice, though. I just want a longer break. 😛)

Anyway, here’s a distraction:

Daily writing prompt
If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?
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Do they have to be alive? If they have to be alive, then I’d probably invite Kate Clayborn or John Green or Neil Gaiman so we could talk about books and writing. If I’m being honest, John Green is at the top of my list anyway, just to talk to him about anything. #fangirl

If they don’t have to be alive, I’d love to have dinner with Jim Henson or Walt Disney or George Harrison (I’d say John, but I have a feeling George would be a nicer guest.) The list of not-alive people I wish I could’ve met grows longer each year.

I finished reading Happy Medium by Sarah Adler and really enjoyed it. There’s a ghost in it, and it kind of has a Ghosts feel to it, so I recommend it if you like that sort of thing. I would’ve had the main character fall in love with the ghost, but that’s just me. 😉

Now I’m reading The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas. I was surprised when I got it from the library and saw how long it is! It will be a movie eventually, so I’m ahead of the curve for once. I’m probably going to have to renew it the maximum amount of times since I read slowly and it’s nearly 500 pages long.

Luis and I have also been watching classic SNL episodes, from the 70s to the 2000s. Some of them include Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig so it feels weird to call them “classic” but they’re not new anymore. We’ve seen one episode from the Eddie Murphy 80s cast so far. That was rough.

I hope you’ve been finding distractions that make you happy.

We’re doing it, we can’t have it all.

Sara Mazariegos
Daily writing prompt
What are you most excited about for the future?
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That depends on how you define “future.” This year, I’m most excited about our anniversary trip to Cleveland, to visit the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame together. I’ve been there at least once (I think I’ve been there twice) but Luis hasn’t been there yet. Now that Alice Cooper’s been inducted, he needs to go see it! Even if it is in Ohio. 😉

Thinking about the future beyond that is kind of scary and stressful. I try to think of things in more “lily pad” terms. I jump from one upcoming event to the next, enjoying the moment as much as I can.

That’s my theory, anyway. I worry about the future an awful lot, so it’s better for me to try and rein it in and only think about the things at hand.

This break from writing is going better than last time. Granted, this blog is still writing, but it’s not fiction so it’s allowed. I’ve come up with a few ideas I want to put into my novel once I’m free to edit it. Certain things in the story have come more into focus now that I’m not trying to hash it out and get to the appropriate word count.

I’m planning to mostly work on this novel this year, and then switch over to revising my more holiday-themed novel at NaNoWriMo time.

I’m looking forward to when the temperatures are well below 90 degrees again.

I promised me.

Sara Mazariegos


The other day, I checked out the audiobook of The Devil Wears Prada (the library doesn’t have a physical copy.) It’s interesting to hear the book version after seeing the movie version a few times. Andy is not very likable in the book. I think it’s mostly because being inside her head shows how judgmental and whiny she is. Also, the audiobook has quite a few questionable stereotypical accents.

I used to think my novel was a little similar to this one, but my story is nowhere near as focused on work stuff. I think I’d lose my mind if I wrote about the characters’ tasks more than I needed to.

My writing is going smoothly. I’m over halfway through the new first draft! The new, tighter plot outline has made a big difference. I also changed the title again (haha) because my older title was pretty generic. It probably won’t surprise you that my new title is inspired by Kermit. 🐸

It struck me for the first time last week that my word count goal doesn’t have to be the total word count of my finished novel. I’ll hit 84K words and then I not only can but should go back in and add scenes I want to add while I’m revising it. I used to think (for some reason) that the word count I was aiming for was hard and fast. My real word count that I shouldn’t go over is around 90K, which gives me plenty of room for refining details, closing plot holes, etc.

I’m getting there,

It’s more fun to share.

Sara Mazariegos


Rewriting my novel, I’m focusing on a few new points. I’ve also been thinking about giving it a new title that’s more in keeping with the themes in the story. One of the ideas I had is a lyric from the above song. I love that song, scene, and Muppet so much. :’)

But Taylor Swift has a song with a similar title and I don’t want anyone thinking I meant that connection.

I’ve read people saying not to worry about the title because the editor and publisher will likely change it anyway. But I want it to be perfect.

The current title is fine. It serves its purpose. I should focus on the writing, because that’s what will ultimately grab people, right?

I’m currently in the middle of a scene involving a beautiful dress from my past. I still have it somewhere in storage at my parents’ house. It doesn’t fit me anymore. Ah, but it does in my imagination. ✨

This post is all over the place.

Looking for a spark.

Sara Mazariegos


Whoo boy, have I made some changes.

Remember when I said I was working on my holiday-themed story? I was hit by a creativity spark while reading my beta reader’s feedback on my other novel, so I’m planning to finish the holiday novel’s rewrites in November now (for NaNoWriMo+) and I’m working on rewriting the first story again.

I got a burst of inspiration last Friday as I looked through my notes for a romantasy story I was slowly starting to piece together. It clicked! I could combine elements of that story with my first story. My first story is so personal and matters so much to me. Like they discussed in today’s episode of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, taking the time to really focus and hone the story I want to publish is important.

I don’t want to give up on it and leave it in a closet to die.

Since Friday, I’ve completely retooled the plot outline, making it follow the Save The Cat beat sheet. It has a real flow now, and the themes jump out much more than they used to. The conflict is much clearer. I’m so excited to work on this draft! I only wish I’d discovered STC sooner, so I wouldn’t have been such a strugglesaurus these past few years. But I know, thanks to WriterThreads, that I’m not alone.

I changed the title of the novel for the fourth time, too. Ha. It fits the story better, though it could’ve worked with the older drafts as well. That’s part of how I know it’s a good one. Titles change a bunch of times, though. I’m not getting attached to any of the ones I come up with.

Thanks to Carly Watters, I have another genre I can add to my pitch paperwork, too: autofiction.

Don’t be afraid to work on something else if you’re feeling stuck on something. Even if that something else is the thing you’ve already “finished” twice. 😉

Wish I knew what you were looking for.

Sara Mazariegos


My goal this week has been to take it easy. I’ve created a novel outline; I’ve thought of things to include in this new draft. I’m not letting myself start writing it until Monday.

Meanwhile, I’ve been reading The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn. It’s so good. I need to read everything she’s ever written. Her writing style matches mine and my preferences in novels I like to read. I’m still obsessed with Georgie, All Along.

This go-around, I’m not going to worry so much about the publishing side of things. I want to focus on my writing and enjoy it. I figure the more “business” side can come later, once I’m sure I’ve got a manuscript worthy of the effort.

Short post this time. I said everything I wanted to say in the video above. Plus, I said it through burned lips.

That’s not a figure of speech.

Vladimir collects ceramic unicorns.

Sara Mazariegos


I both won and lost my personal book game for my birthday. I got so many new books. Ah, loopholes. If I was really serious about not getting any books for a while, I wouldn’t ask for them for my birthday. 😇

You can see my excitement about one of them in the video above. I will take it to Disney World and Guatemala, not that I foresee having much extra time to read it while on vacation. Perhaps during the flights, while I’m awake. One of my flights will land at 4 something in the morning!

I’m already feeling grateful for taking a recovery day after our trip. I’m mostly going to use it for sleeping.

As I’ve mentioned, I’m going to jump right into reading the draft of my other novel as soon as I’m back and conscious. I have so many ideas, but I’m pacing myself and being organized about them this go-around. Because “Write all the things!” leads to a mess and/or burnout.

See? I’m learning!

This trip may just fill me with further inspiration. Isn’t that always the way, for authors? Inspiration can be found everywhere.

Until next time,

A humiliating kick in the crotch.

Sara Mazariegos

Writing query letters is tough, especially when you’re not sure where to find good people to critique it. Friends and family rave about it, but a random person can shut it down and make me feel like no one would want to read my novel. It would be nice to find somewhere in between those two extremes. I know it needs work, but that doesn’t mean my novel isn’t good or deserving of being published.

I’m not giving up on it.

Meanwhile, I’ve rewritten an outline for my other novel’s rewrite. Luis (husband) recommends that I write a query letter at this early stage, too, to help guide the novel. So I’m going to be having fun with that as well.

In slightly over two weeks, we’re going on our fun Disney/Guatemala trip, so it’ll be another opportunity to take a break. I just feel as though I’ve been taking a break for a while now. I’m ready to write more! But it’s good to pace myself and not stack my days with too much writing, especially when I know I won’t have enough time to write a new draft until after the beginning weeks of April.

Are all writers like this?

Let’s take the whole day off.

Sara Mazariegos


I’m the type of person who schedules things. I have a Google Calendar for my personal plans. It contains everything from what we’re having for dinner tonight to our weekend activities to the novels I want to work on. It helps keep me on track, even if I only put “Write 2K” on a date. I think it might partially be guilt if I don’t do what it says, but I’ll take it. 😅

Aside from Calendar, I also utilize Pacemaker to keep my word count on track. I plan to write a NaNoWriMo+ novel this year since I don’t have plans to travel in November. The + means it will go past November because it will be longer than 50K words (unless I fail.) I’m going to tackle an old story I didn’t truly finish back in 2010, back when NaNoWriMo was the only time of year I really sat down and wrote stories. I got the story to 50K, but then just… stopped writing it.

I’m going to finish it and make it better this year! That’s one of my plans anyway.

So, my slate for the year is finishing/revising two romance novels and finishing/revising a young adult fantasy.

I’m ambitious. But it’s good to have goals.